BC

Drivers can't resist phones

Despite a sign reading "police ahead, stay off your phone," North Van RCMP handed out 74 tickets for distracted driving in a two-hour span on Tuesday.

Despite giving motorists advance notice with two big, bold signs, police on the North Shore handed out dozens of tickets for distracted driving in a two-hour span on Tuesday.

Two signs reading "police ahead, stay off your phone," were set up at busy intersections between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

However, officers handed out 89 tickets in that span — 74 for distracted driving, and the remaining 15 for various other offences.

Cpl. Richard De Jong with North Vancouver RCMP said using personal devices while driving has been banned since Jan. 1, 2010, and said "it is evident there is still more education and enforcement needed to make our roads safer!"

Apart from the large signs, police also sent out a news release earlier in the day on Tuesday, forewarning drivers what intersections they would be conducting the distracted driving blitzes.